Reclaiming the edge : Kenyan Startups Ecosystem...

🔸Some optimistic news for startups as Nairobi, and Kenya at large, edge higher in ecosystem rankings.

🔸Looming food shortage? Here is how the country is gearing up to salvage the vessel…

I am Brian from The Kenyan Wall Street and these and more in today's edition of our daily newsletter…

Reclaiming the Edge : Kenya Climbs Startup Hub Ranking 

Kenya’s startup ecosystem has edged into the global top 60, reclaiming its position as Africa’s second most vibrant hub after South Africa, according to a new Startup Blink report.

Nairobi leads this resurgence, driven by fresh capital, refined policy, and the persistent pull of a continental gateway city. While the capital continues to dwarf its coastal counterpart, Mombasa, the latter’s re-entry into the top 1,000 cities globally suggests there are green sprouts beyond the center.

The government’s push — via the Startup Bill and innovation incentives — is more signal than substance, but it’s a step away from the policy vacuum of past years. A persistent over reliance on early-stage funding and thin support networks still hold back scaling. Yet the shift toward climate-tech and agri-tech points to a maturing ecosystem gradually weaning off its fintech-heavy roots. Here is the full article »»»»»

Today's Poll

Down Memory Lane : KQ’s Adventure Since the 70s

Kenya Airways, once grounded by debt and missteps, has staged a quiet but stirring return to form. From its post-colonial birth in 1977 to its flirtation with global stardom under KLM, the airline has mirrored Kenya’s own shifting fortunes.

Ambition once outpaced caution—Project Mawingu’s soaring dreams ultimately gave way to Project Kifaru’s measured realism. Now, after a decade of turbulence, “The Pride of Africa” is flying profitably again, buoyed by cost discipline, forex gains, and a resurgent passenger base. Modest at takeoff, its 2025 relisting signals not a triumphal return, but a grounded optimism worth watching. Here is the full analysis »»»»»

A Stitch in time : Easing Unga Prices

In a bid to tame soaring flour prices, Kenya’s grain reserve has released 200,000 bags of maize to millers under tight government oversight. The Ministry of Agriculture requires upfront payments, proof of milling, and detailed distribution reports to deter hoarding. This emergency measure follows a 6.1% drop in national maize production due to erratic rains, stirring inflation in household staples. With the harvest still weeks away, flour prices hang in the balance. Read article »»»»»

CAPITAL MARKETS  

Safaricom PLC Closes at KSh 20.00, First Time in Over Two Years

Safaricom PLC ends the day at KSh 20.00, first time since March 10, 2023, +17.30% YTD. Market cap crosses KSh 800 billion, absolute dominance on the NSE. Safaricom is only KSh 46 billion behind the total market capitalization of all listed banks on the Nairobi Securities Exchange.

Financial Results Q1:

NSE Index Review : HF Group, Three Other Listed Companies Join Top Stocks

The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) has revised its benchmark indices effective June 3, 2025 :

🔸HF Group has been included in all three indices—NSE 10, NSE 20, and NSE 25—highlighting its improved liquidity and market cap.

🔸BK Group, Carbacid, and Trans-Century also join the NSE 25, reflecting renewed investor interest in diverse counters.

NSE Gainers And Losers

OPINION 

NG’ANG'A : What US Tariffs Mean for Kenya’s Trade

Briefs

On your watchlist 

In this episode of Her Leadership, we sit down with not one—but two visionary co-founders behind SanaSana Sustainability, a game-changing company in the sustainability tech space

Yesterday's Poll Results

What are your thoughts about the newly proposed internet billing system?

⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Good, it's a helpful proposal (12%)

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Bad, Bad, Bad (88%)

Keep up with what’s happening on our X and LinkedIn pages. Stay updated with the latest financial news on our website The Kenyan Wall Street.